Without adapted from Elizabeth Wilde's one
by jottfan
Summary: Summary: The XMen's newest addition could prove fatal to Logan and Jean's relationship. Changes made.
1. Chapter 1

Author: jottfan and Elizabeth Wilde (thanks a lot!)  
Title: Without  
Distribution: Ask Elizabeth  
Disclaimer: X-Men does not belong to me and blah blah blah  
Relationship: Scott/Jean, mild Logan/Jean, Logan/Rogue  
Summary: The X-Men's newest addition could prove fatal to Logan and Jean's relationship  
Tis' one is AU.

Scott and Jean are around 20 while Logan is _wayy _much older; the rest is pretty much the same. And oh, pardon me if I'm long-winded. Tendency to do that. Heh

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**1**

"_And now in the news, there have been reports of a strange dog that has been roaming the streets of New York recently. The dog can apparently produce some sort of poisonous gases, which affected the passers-by around the area. Suspicions have aroused that the dog may be a mutant which is relatively unknown as animals are not known to have the X-gene…"_

Logan or the mutant better known as Wolverine of the X-men when in black leather suits out saving the world, heaved a sigh and flipped the television off. He rubbed his head wearily. Mission after mission, now they were about to go on another one. Well, it was not exactly a mission, just picking up some mutant at a hospital where he had spent most of his life.

He shuddered involuntarily. Hospitals freaked him out but there was no way he was going to let Jean, his fiancée, pick up some unknown mutant guy by herself. He promised her that he would always be there for her and he wasn't going to break that now.

Talk of the devil. Soft footsteps down the hall could be heard to his sharp hearing.

"Logan? You ready?" Jean called from the hallway.

He joined her in the hallway, his eyes meeting her worried ones.

"You don't have to do this, y'know…"

"Never mind babe. I'm not letting you do this alone." He grinned wolfishly at her.

He got an appreciative look from Jean.

She counted herself lucky to have met someone like him. They had not connected very well at first. He, the fierce ex-fighter and she, the calm medical doctor were not exactly a match in that sense. But after much effort on their part, they became good friends and eventually, more than just good friends.

"Let's go," she linked her arms with his and strode out into the warm autumn air.

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The hospital loomed over them, a dark and foreboding air hung over it like an impenetrable blanket. It told of misery and despair of the occupants inside. Jean shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself more tightly. It reminded her of her childhood where she had been also thrown into a place like this before the Professor rescued her. Now, ten years later, she was here to rescue someone else.

"Scott Summers huh? Well, let's find you…"

Click clack, click clack, the sound of her heels sounded loud on the stained marble floor. All around her were harried doctors and nurses rushing to and fro, amidst the dimly lit corridors. Jean approached a doctor, one of the many who were staring at her; a visitor was uncommon around here. Logan would be waiting for her outside despite his protests.

"Here you go, miss," a finger was pointed in the direction of a faded brown door whose nameplate was barely visible beneath the dust.

Jean pushed open the door softly. It creaked noisily. The room was dark; the only light came from a window whose curtains were drawn. Jean wondered vaguely how the man could stand such a hostile environment, then she remember that the man was "blind" due to his mutation.

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**Flashback**

"Scott Summers, an alpha mutant with the ability to shoot red beams out of his eyes huh?" Logan flipped through the pages.

"Yes, also due to the fact that he has been stuck in that place for more than five years, I'm afraid that you may have a hard time persuading him." The Professor affirmed.

"Is it necessary?" Ororo asked.

With a sigh drawn out from the Professor, he nodded and replied" For this one, it is. You see, he is a very powerful mutant and due to the unexpected nature of the secret, he has not been found until now."

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A slight movement in the corner startled her out of her memory. If was not for her telepathic senses, Jean doubted that she would have known that anyone was here. As her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she could make out a crouched figure at the edge of the bed.

"Who's there?" a low voice called out suddenly.

"Hi. I'm Jean Grey. Are you Scott Summers?"

"Yeah. So? I'm _not_ seeing bananas dancing in my head anymore so I don't need a fucking head shrink." Was Scott's curt reply.

The situation would have been funny if it wasn't for the surroundings they were in. instead; Jean felt a stab of pity for the man in front of her who had to live here. Well, not anymore, if she could persuade him.

"I'm a teacher at Xavier's school for the Gifted. I've come to offer you a place there." She hesitated before plunging in blindly." It's for mutants like us."

"Great. A fancy name for the school of mentally disabled. Thank you. I'm fine except for the fact that I could probably level this place in five seconds if it wasn't for the blind fold."

"Look…" Jean began.

That got a sarcastic snort from Scott. "Yeah, _look_… Why don't you just stop wasting your time here and just butt out? How do I know you're a mutant anyway? Prove it."

_FINE! _Jean shouted in his head, her famous redhead temper exploding before rushing over to Scott's side as the man winced; apparently he was not used to telepaths.

"Are you alright?" Jean reached out.

"Yeah, I'm fine… He was abruptly cut off as their fingers brushed against each other's, sending a warm electric jolt though their bodies.

"What _was _that?" Scott snapped.

"I…I don't know. I think we have some sort of…connection."

The door banged open with a frantic Logan hurling in.

"Jean! Jean, are you alright?" a storm of concerned questions was thrown at Jean.

"I'm ok…" Jean rubbed her temples tiredly, still reeling from the effects of the warm feeling. It was nice. She had never experience this thing with anyone else before.

" Scott? You?"

"You really are a mutant…" was the very intelligent response.

Logan looked at him curiously "Sure we are, bub. Whaddya expect?"

Scott's reply was cut off by Jean." So convinced now?"

He simply shrugged and said," It can't be worse than this…"


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

Moonlight shone faintly into the room through the cracks of the curtains. Jean gazed at the silvery reflection on the floor and sighed inwardly. She didn't think that Logan who was sleeping soundly beside her would notice but she wasn't taking any chances. She had almost called him "Scott" by mistake just now but changed in midway. It had been three days since Scott was brought in and hell, he occupied her every thought nowadays.

Looking at the sleeping man beside her, she felt extremely guilty. She wasn't worthy to be next to him. He deserved someone better; rather than a woman who probably took interest in him because she wanted him to stay in the school in the first place.

Dim memories of their first meeting surfaced in her memory. Logan actively pursing her and her repeated rejections because she hadn't felt the connection between them. Eventually she was worn down and gave in. And as they say, the rest is history…until now. Determined, Jean rolled down and closed her eyes for some much needed rest, for tomorrow was going to be a big day

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Moonlight shone faintly into the room through the cracks of the curtains. To someone though, the beauty of it was oblivious. For a very good reason. He couldn't see it. Scott Summers lay in his bed, his eyes hidden behind a blindfold. Those weird people or mutants or whatever had not found a cure for it yet so he had to endure more days in darkness. Never mind, the scientist with a huge vocabulary and the woman doctor promised that they would find one. Especially the woman doctor. His heart, which had been untouched for so long, softened slightly at the thought of her. From her soft voice and her description about herself, he could already picture her as an angel.

Every since their touch at the hospital, he could feel that they were connected in some way or another. He would get her. It was only a matter of time. Even so, there was his biggest challenge- her fiancée Logan. But for now, he pushed all the thought out of his head and settled down for some much needed rest, for tomorrow was going to be a big day.

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Scott was already at the breakfast table when Jean arrived there, amidst the crowds of chattering students in the hall. Ororo Munroe or Storm, a fellow instructor at the school, was explaining the position of various items laid out on the dining table to Scott who was listening attentively to her. Immediately afterwards, he picked up his cutlery and began eating, without hesitation or dropping any food. If Jean was in her right senses, she would be amazed at Scott's memory but instead, she was too busy being jealous of Ororo to care, a trait she hardly felt before in her adult life.

"Jean? You seem a bit lost there?" Logan's voice broke through her thoughts of which was the most pleasing way to torture Ororo; dumping her in the middle of a food fight with the kids being the most satisfying.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just got a bit carried away there."

She hurried away from his concerned gaze and took her plate. At that moment, Hank came bounding into the room.

"Ready Jean, Scott?" he glanced from both of them.

Today was the day they were finally going to start trying to find a way to prevent Scott's optic beams from shooting out constantly. Jean nodded and dashed off to the med lab to get it ready with Scott trailing after her and Hank. Jean was determined to help Scott recover his eyesight.

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Jean worked feverishly throughout the night. Hank had put Scott in one of the beds in the lab after Scott had collapsed from exhaustion before retiring to his room himself, leaving Jean still working.

Jean was still buried in her work when Logan came in.

"_1 hour at full power… Able to smash through concrete and others…"_

Logan shook her gently. "Jean, you should get some rest."

"No, no. I _have_ to find a way or Scott wouldn't be able to see forever." She protested, shaking his hand off.

Logan's quick temper was sparked. "Why is this guy so important to you? Why are you so anxious for him to see again? So, he's not the only blind person around."

He gave a disdainful snort.

"It's always Scott this, Scott that. You almost called me 'Scott' too. Why, you have a crush on him?"

He pushed her right buttons and she flared up.

"It's not like you didn't flirt with Emma Frost when she was here either!"

She had not even tried to deny his accusation. Logan growled and was about to snap his reply when supposingly unconscious Scott lying in the med bed turned over restlessly in his sleep.

Logan glared at the pair of them and strode out, in desperate need for a beer. Jean leaned back in her chair. Logan was right; she did have a crush on Scott. She recalled what she had said earlier and in her heart, she knew that Logan had caught on too.

She rubbed her temples wearily. Both of their quick, explosive tempers was really put on show tonight, each saying the wrong things which merely fueled the other's.

Looking down at Scott's peaceful sleeping figure, she shook her head ruefully,

"Long day huh?"

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End file.
